Big Car Racing Association & Hall of Fame, LLC BCRA ESTABLISHED 1958, COLORADO SPRINGS CO th (50 Anniversary 1958 - 2008 ) BIG CAR RACING CHRONICLES July August September 2011 Bcra Staff: Dave Tyson(Mo) Ray Cunningham(Ks), Boyd Adams(Tx), Bruce Budy(C0), Jerry Miller(Tx), Tom Davey(Co), Wayne Panter(Tx), Gary Wolfe(Ne) Welcome……. The trip to Lincoln on Thursday was an would be racing but he braved the flooded central plains to interesting one as the phone rang with inquiries of the attend and accept for Don. Thad Dosher of Topeka Ks upcoming weekend. The flooding along the Missouri and came up through the ranks of Kansas racing to win an Mississippi and their tributaries, left a lot of unanswered IMCA and Knoxville Nationals title and traveled from his questions about the road conditions along the way West. home in North Carolina to attend and visit old friends Checking in at the Days Inn and Suites the registry showed including BCRAHOF’er and Champ car owner Gary a number of the reserved rooms had been taken and the Swenson of Lincoln. It appears Thad, Ray Lee Goodwin Arizona racing legends in Larry and father Alvin Clark and Jerry Richert were the only drivers to win these two were already in town. titles in history. Thanks to Larry Swanson who received for The next morning a conversation outside my Hotel room good friend and top wrench Wayne House of Lincoln who door with a passerby, revealed Larry Clark was right above was unable to attend because of health issues. House us on the second floor and his door was open. I hollered up wrenched for some of the best ever including Swanson and and got a reply from Larry and turned back to my room and Roger Rager, when he went to INDY. Roger appears in hollered at Ray Cunningham to “wake up, Larry Clark is in great competitive form and is looking for a quality ride for town”. Cunningham soon appeared in his scivvies, gave a the upcoming season in Minnesota. The Rager history goes rousing welcome and it wasn’t long before we headed to back some 60 years with Roger’s father Bob starting the breakfast and found Colorado legend, Grier Manning. tradition and Roger acquired this passion. He worked his Grier was sitting at a booth near the counter. I had not seen way through many obstacles on his way to the Brickyard, Grier in three years and we struck up a conversation where I becoming the focus of attention at the event as he lead the learned the 84 year old had driven up from the Springs race for a time, under the power of a Nebraska school bus through the night, arriving at Breakfast time in the 1970 motor built by House. In his acceptance speech Roger Mercury, which looked like it just came off the show room remembered those who helped along the way including floor…It was later in the day that Grier’s son Ken and wife House and Bill Smith ending with, “I Love you guys”. Ann arrived from Abilene Ks. Later I went to the room, the Junior Parkinson arrived at the event and we had a dog snuck out the door and as I was leaving I saw the mutt rousing reunion with Junior having not seen him since the was in the middle of the parking lot and had made some new Non-wing series and CARB reunion at Lakeside the friends which turned out to be Roger Rager and Susan ,who previous year. He reminisced his career with the had steered Sandy out of harms way in the parking lot. BCRA,IMCA, USAC and of father Ralph Sr. They were the At 6PM we all began to gather inside the museum for the only father son team to win features with the club. Jr has a ceremony. A call from Keith Barker informed us his starter son Chris who has engaged the sport for sometime now. had went out on the pickup but he was repaired and back on Diane and Isadore Lucero arrived from Denver and it is the road, scheduled to arrive 30 minutes later than planned. always a privilege to meet with these two remarkable During the ceremony Bill Smith took the Mic and the people, the daughter and son-in-law of BCRAHOF opportunity to tell a story or two on some of the inductees inductee, Clarence Froid. Clarence was one of the work including Roger Rager when he took us all back to the day horse supporters of the early BCRA and remained active Roger made his attempt to complete a full throttle lap at the throughout the clubs tenure in the Midwest. He and Isadore Knoxville Iowa track. His attack on the oval ended in the would continue to work the RMMRA shows in the area for fence but the colorful account brought laughter from the many years and the Lucero family continues in the Midgets crowd and a big smile from Roger and Susan. to this day. Out of Topeka Ks came the Bill Robison troup The BCRA Inductees were from coast to coast. Californian as half the town must of followed Bill to Lincoln for the Don Brown took his place in the Hall of Fame not only as a Induction ceremony. An unverified report had Topeka driver and car owner with the BCRA but one of the most closed at noon so everyone could get to Lincoln, again this talented fabricators the sport ever knew. Many thanks to report was not verified but there was evidence at hand. Bill Keith Barker who traveled over from Iowa to accept for continues in competition to this day and enjoys a great fan Don. Keith had two IRL teams at Newton Iowa where they following in the area. Some say two of the best wrecks they ever seen were Bill Robison in the Charlie Jones Trostle at the track in Ray Kochs wire wheeled sprinter and was voted Lincoln in ’74 and Larry Clark at the killer El Centro Ca “Rookie of the year”. He would go on to assemble and print track in ’83, both made national headlines and both a newspaper in the Golden Newspaper Office on racing in survived! Larry and Linda Clark came to Lincoln and the area and his work has become prized publications by the brought another racing legend in Clarks father Alvin. 60’s racers. Bruce was an educator, teaching in the Denver Matriarch Doris Clark, was unable to make the trip for area for nearly 30 yrs, is an ardent Sailor on the lakes of the health reasons. Larry set the Southwest and Midwest ovals region and still follows racing on occasion. on fire for a time driving for Alvin, Burt McMurray and a With the reformation of the BCRA in 2004, Bruce became BCRA Championship for Frank Marcello in 1976. He ran involved in the process with stories, photos and attendance Sprints ,Midgets and Modifieds before a career ending at the meetings held in Denver. Bruce provided an amazing injury at El Centro. Don Holbrook made the trip from insight into the operation of such an endeavor which has Denver with Jim Bredenberg(V.P of the RMMRA)and been instrumental in the success the BCRA, and now BCRA Gene Kruback of Aurora Ne. Jim and Gene also serve as Hall of Fame, which we have all enjoyed. Congratulations selectors for the BCRA Hall of Fame. Don’s father Mearle to Bruce Budy of Denver . gw Holbrook was another who gave heart and soul to the BCRA. Holbrook consistently displayed a new brand of dedication to the club and his contributions to the BCRA and Pikes Peak Hill Climb set a new standard indeed. Bill Hill and Ruby would arrive at the Museum and Bill delivered a very eloquent acceptance speech at the induction ceremony. Bill’s contribution to Midget racing is immeasurable across the heartland. His polished countenance graced the Mic’s of many associations and venues across the region but Hill’s later accomplishments in the Publications he presented the racing world, have become standard equipment in every racers library. It was great to see Bill and Ruby and congratulations…and thanks.. to a Midwest racing Icon. As the time drew near and no Keith Barker, JD Cormack Four of the top drivers in the country in the 70’s in (left to right) most graciously accepted the Microphone and entertained One of only three, IMCA and Knoxville National champs, in Thad the crowd with Kansas City racing and the National Sprint Dosher. Topeka’s Billy Robison a champ still in competition, BCRA Car Hall of Fame at Knoxville Ia. A most interesting Champ K.C.’s Jon Backlund and BCRA Multi Arizona Champ, Larry presentation which ended just as Rich met Keith at the front Clark of Toleson Az door. During his acceptance for Don Brown we were all reminded of Don’s extensive racing history beginning at the Dry Lakes in a Novi owned by Lou Welch. He became one of the best fabricators ever in the sport and would finish his career at Indy working with the likes of AJ Watson with his last project in the restoration of the Randol Excavating Offy. The remainder of the evening included tours of the Museum and bench racing along the way. Many had engaged the 2PM tour but were back again to get one more look at this collection of American Racing history as collected by Bill Smith, and many believe this institution is the focal point of American Racing.